Posted - 05/21/2010 : 12:43:36 PM In a previous topic on lighting, the subject seemed to be mostly the larger lights that sit by one's knitting chair. Does anyone actually use the small "Knit Light" or similar light that clips onto the clothing or hangs around the neck? Does it really provide enough light? I'm looking for something to help me see what I'm doing in a darkened (but not totally dark) room where other family members are watching TV; when I use a bigger lamp, it often produces a glare on the TV screen that is annoying for some folks, depending on where they are sitting.

The Knit Light looks promising ...

Donna, with intentions always bigger than her available time.

20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)

mfox@umbc.edu

Posted - 11/29/2012 : 05:02:44 AM Have all of them, as the power goes out here frequently. The headlamp is the least obtrusive for me as a knitter. The knit light is heavy; like wearing a camera, the beam is great though if you want the span of a real lamp. The clip-ons are great for planes and knitting next to a sleeping person; but not bright enough for me; they are bookpage span, not gsrment, dropped item, etc. Their size and configuration are flexible and tempting, but the headlamp is my 'power out again' choice.

Ceil

Posted - 11/28/2012 : 4:56:47 PM Geez, if only there was a way to fasten my pocket OttLite to a hat, I'd have it made on the lighting.

Ceil(Ravelry: ceilr)Time is never a factor when joy is involved.

CraftyGrammy

Posted - 11/27/2012 : 8:50:35 PM I just received my Stitch Light. I have to say that it is a fantastic little light. Even my husband was impressed. I only have one complaint,and that is the fact that when I went to the website after seeing the review, it was appealing and fun to be able to build your own. There were some pretty patterns and colors to choose from.I carefully chose my pattern and color so you can imagine my disappointment when my Stitch Light finally arrived and it came with a plain black strap and plain black pouch. I would have appreciated being notified so I could have chose a different color or pattern. I did not chose to return it because of the fact that it is a very nice bright light, but I am just disappointed.

UPDATE: In all fairness I would like to say that I was contacted with an apology and offer to correct the error. Now that is good customer service.

Nancy

churchlady

Posted - 11/03/2012 : 10:07:34 AM Our emergency lighting source on the West Coast of North America, where coastal storms are more and more severe, and we must be prepared for earthquakes as well, is also kerosene lamps, and they would not, as Clara noted, be adequate for knitting, so BuffyAnn's Stitch Light goes on the Christmas List at my house!

Live, Laugh, Love, Learn

sockjoan

Posted - 10/31/2012 : 11:15:33 PM I have a head-lamp with three brightness settings; it take 3xAAA batteries, weighs very little, and is a great help for knitting in poor light. Good for camping and for night photography, too! And it only cost $5 at the supermarket.

BuffyAnn

Posted - 09/12/2012 : 3:27:57 PM Hi all! I have some great news! We have been working really hard to find a way to bring our prices down so that we can offer an amazing product at really great price. We appreciate everyone who stuck with us while we worked and worked to get all the right pieces in place. We would not skimp on quality so it's been a big challenge. However, we did it! And now, as promised, we can offer our Stitch Light at only $24.95 (with FREE shipping!) We are so excited!!!

We are hoping this gives everyone the chance to try out our light for themselves, get an extra for the car, give one to a friend. Please know that we have our same quality product, we did not skimp or compromise with our components AND we still have our 100% Satisfaction Policy - so without question you are covered if for some reason it doesn't work out for you, no hassle, we take care of you.

I also want to give out a huge THANK YOU to all our current customers! Thank you! And for all the wonderful feedback we have gotten in the last year, it has been amazing. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns! Happy Knitting! ;-)Buffy www.buffyann.com (buffy@buffyann.com)

lacylaine

Posted - 09/11/2011 : 9:47:34 PM Hi Buffy. That's a very interesting point about the quality of the LED light itself. I guess I always just thought they were all the same though I'm not sure why - even incandescents are different in quality from each other! As a knitter and as someone who cares about the environment, the length of battery life does matter to me. After all, even rechargeables must eventually be disposed. These things plus your money-back guarantee have made me change my mind about this product. I will definitely keep it in mind when I have some extra cash.

Melanie

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." Ecclesiastes 9:10

Posted - 09/07/2011 : 6:36:42 PM Hi this is Buffy! How exciting to have our Stitch Light featured in the Tool Review. It has been so much fun sharing our light with everyone.

I love how a review can really spark conversation. It's true there are a lot of lighting options out there to help us with our knitting. Just like there are a variety of needles and yarn and other tools, variety is the spice of life! It's up to us to find the tools that suit us and just keep knitting! ;-)

Now, I will start to gush about our light, like I do when talking about our grand-babies! Our light is really unique in several ways. Most importantly the quality of the LED digital chip that makes the light so bright and clear. We are using a CREE 300 Lumen LED digital chip. What does this mean? It means that the light is bright and clear today as it will be it's whole life. It really is impressive.

It also means the light is very energy efficient. That means on your ordinary household AAA batteries (requires 3), it will last a very very long time. It also means no bulb to change or burn out, so the white light doesn't darken or yellow.

Most lights of this quality can cost double, I know from personal experience, my dear hubby has several of those high priced flash lights & head lights! The difference is, his high-priced lights have a very short battery life, which to us knitters, is not acceptable, in that we can knit for hours at a time!

As a consumer, I can't stand to shell out my hard earned cash on a product, just to discover it didn't meet my expectations or I just didn't end up using it. Which is why, we have a 100% satisfaction policy - no matter how long you have your light, if you don't use it or like it, just let us know and we will make it right! Yes, it's true. I don't want you to have a tool you can't or don't want to use. That is how confident we are that our light is a great tool of great value that will last as long at you need it to last. Or until your dear hubby loses it while fixing the car or working in the shed or... ;-)

Let me know if you have any questions (buffyann@buffyanndesigns.com) or if you just want to share your lighting experience! Meanwhile, as we roll into Fall with shorter days and longer evenings, keep it light and keep on knitting! :-)Buffy

Jessica-Jean

Posted - 09/07/2011 : 4:48:54 PM I must be a real cheapskate. I love my little dollar-store LED head-lamp. Not even as a gift would I want a more costly one!

savannagal

Posted - 09/07/2011 : 11:16:14 AM I just want to add that I have used Beam N Read Hands Free Lights for about 20 years now. I still have the original model I purchased that used a tiny lightbulb and it still works perfectly. I bought a 2nd model recently which now uses LEDs. It is great. The light is much brighter and truer in color. The LEDs fan out over a much larger area of my work. The part that holds the lights can be adjusted up and down to point directly where you need to see. It really is a great product. Also, the company provides wonderful customer service. They are really a top notch company. I highly recommend the company and product. I have no affiliation whatsoever with the company. Just a very happy customer willing to sing their praises.

quote:Originally posted by TripletDad

Hi, I just came across this thread, although perhaps a bit late for ikkivan. I hope you don't mind my adding some information that may be helpful to those looking at this thread. First, disclosure, I'm from the manufacturer of the Beam N Read Hands Free Lights so I'll avoid giving my personal opinion on our products for knitting.

We have been reviewed by a number of knitting & needlework publications/ websites including: Knitty.com, the Knitting Editor at CraftGossip.com, the Fabric Arts specialists at CraftCritique.com, The Daily Knitter, the Knitting Editor of BellaOnline.com, and McCalls Quilting. The Product Reviews page on our website includes excerpts from these reviews with links to the full review. Needless to say, they liked our lights. The Daily Knitter reviewer specifically addressed knitting in a darkened room while everyone else watched TV!

The Beam N Read lights are worn around the neck and shine a steady and wide light from the chest. We have one model with 3 LEDs in a row and another with 6 for an extra wide light. We find the 6 LED light is very popular for knitters, quilters, and other needlework. It also includes a large, 4x5 inch acrylic fresnel magnifier that is useful for detail work like fixing a dropped stitch or working with dark yarn. The magnifier is not a low vision aid. Standard Alkaline batteries in the 6 LED model last for 48 hours. Advantages over headlamps include that the light doesn't bounce around as you move your head and doesn't shine in a companion's eyes when you look at them. One of our founders is an avid knitter and knits for at least an hour every day.

lacylaine

Posted - 09/06/2011 : 6:38:49 PM We recently lost power for several hours here in Boone County, Indiana and I'm surprised, but I didn't even think of my head lamp which I bought at the Ft. Knox PX. Like those mentioned earlier, it has different light functions. I bought it for cooking, etc on the night shift (we were cooking outside in our MKTs). Anyway, I found mine heavy and slide-y due to extreme heat. Blinding people was also a problem. I tended to use it as a regular flashlight unless I absolutely needed two hands. It was under $20.

What I pulled out instead was the little light that hangs over my ear. DH got it for me last year for Christmas. While it worked in a pinch, I'm not sure I can recommend it, at least not for reading. I had to keep moving my head to see different parts of the page. Maybe for knitting it would be better since our knitting tends to have a smaller area, so to speak.

Melanie

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." Ecclesiastes 9:10

Posted - 09/06/2011 : 12:21:50 AM Grand-Moogi, the head lamps are better because any task light at that level will likely hit you right in the eyes when you look at the wall.

The head lamps that flip down to light your hands are the best ones. They don't shine right into someone's eyes when you turn your head to talk to them, or listen, either. hehe They cost between $20 and $30. I can easily read two hours a night for a couple of weeks on the batteries.

Posted - 09/03/2011 : 07:18:07 AM I have a friend that I room with occaisionally at fiber events who wears a head lamp in dim light situations, and it is really annoying when she looks at you with the lamp on. I feel like adeer in the headlights, and can't see my own knitting for a couple of minutes until my eyes get over it.

Like Clara, I got the generous gift of the reviewed light at Sock Summit. I think the price is a bit high because it is offered with various choices of strap, and because of the little zippered pouch, but also because it is being marketed directly to a specific specialty group. Kind of like the little rubber rings that can be purchased at a hardware store but cost 3x as much when re-packaged in smaller quantities in a knitter-friendly package and sold in a LYS. If you want a cute stap (mine is red with black cat paw prints) and a little zippered pouch to hold a room key, credit card or cash (mine is red cherries on a black background) then go for the light specific to knitters. It would be interesting to have the less expensive light tested against the reviewed one, as they are marketed as being very long-lasting and reliable.

Posted - 09/01/2011 : 1:58:19 PM I was getting excited about this review right up until you told me about the price. That seems steep. For the last several years I have been using an LED headlamp I bought on closeout from Sierra Trading Post. It has 3 different illumination levels, which can be handy. Mine is adjustable, which means that there's a hinge attaching the lamp to the holder that is on the band. That way I can change the angle of the light. I use it almost exclusively in the car. I was concerned at first that I might forget and look my husband in the eye, but that hasn't happened. Yet. Since the angle is adjustable, I can wear it around my neck, too, and sometimes do, but it is easier to get the light exactly where I want it when I have it on my forehead as designed. It's also quite small and easy to just toss in my bag. The casing has cracked, and I will need to replace it soon. It sounds like another headlamp is still the choice for me.

Shauna

mcostant@rochester.rr.com

Posted - 09/01/2011 : 06:17:27 AMGreat idea and thanks for the heads up on the cost. If you purchase a headlamp it would seem you could use any type of ID holder to hang it if you prefer it around your neck at the level of your work. I recently bought a tiny book light from B&N for reading. It was less than $10 and has possibilities. After all, Knitters are creative!Mary

sockjoan

Posted - 09/01/2011 : 03:28:18 AM I have a head-lamp, very cheap from the supermarket, 3 different power settings, uses 3xAAA batteries - wonderful for any fiddly job! I like being able to move the beam to where I need it by moving my head. Also it swivels, so can be angled low or high. And I use rechargeable batteries.All the same, I don't think Grand-moogi, or any of us seniors who need good light, should skimp on the wall-lights or other plug-in lamps. These are surely more economical than batteries in the long run - and they don't go flat just when you need them!

Grand-moogi

Posted - 08/31/2011 : 11:40:11 PM Well this is certainly something to think about. We are building a new house and we were thinking about getting wall lights behind where our easy chairs will go in the family room so we can have extra light over our shoulders when we are knitting, doing hand sewing or reading. Maybe thses lights would be better.

I knit a hug into every stitch

brodym@earthlink.net

Posted - 08/31/2011 : 10:17:42 PM I was going to post about the Beam N Read light, because I have one and love it, but I see someone else already has done so. It's terrific, perhaps a bit heavier than the knitting light reviewed nere because it takes one more battery, but it is also half the price! Higlhly recommended.

Martha

donnaknits@comcast.net

Posted - 08/31/2011 : 10:00:55 PM I purchased one at Sock Summit and I love it. It is great for travel, plane, train, car (when not driving myself) and in the theatre while waiting for a movie or play to begin. Definitely recommend it.

TripletDad

Posted - 11/18/2010 : 08:55:01 AM During November, there are several pre-Holiday giveaway contests with a Beam N Read LED Hands Free Light as the prize. They are on the following blogs: